Can you drive a manual shift?

[YY1]

My last 2 daily drivers have been manuals- '15 Renegade and '03 PT Cruiser.

When I met my wife, she had a 4.3 five speed s-10.

The first manual I ever "drove" was a yamaha 920 virago.

The first manual I ever owned was an '86 CS turbo Daytona.

 

[Ironbuilt]

I learned to drive a stick in a 1973 Mack U model garbage truck. My Dad used to let me move containers around the yard behind his shop. I guess I was around 12 when he taught me. It was a 5 by 4, twin stick "quad-box". No power steering and the steering wheel was as big around as a 55 gallon drum lid. He told me that if I could master that transmission, there was NOTHING that I couldn't drive. He was right.
RIP Dad.

 

[dual fours]

A short bed three on the tree bowtie, two blue ovals with 4 on the floor (all work trucks), pre '70 willys cj 3 spd. on the floor and one '74 AMC jeep cj5 with an NP435, all 4 wheel drives. Still have the '74 AMC jeep cj5. I vaguely remember some thing with two wheels may be being a up one and down two but I can't remember which foot I used. (But I do remember racing between the green houses and there was a lot of glass panes all around us and it was night time and there was a girl involved. WOW, I haven't thought of this incident for at least 15 years.) This FBBO site is better then seeing a therapist.

 

[WileERobby]

First actual experience was moving a Ford econoline for a carpet cleaning company I was working for a summer job at 15 y o. My real learning experience was on a jeep my buddy stole. ( technically, borrowed, since he returned it )

 

[NJRR]

I learned to drive stick on a Dodge Tradesman 100 van, 318, 3 on the tree, when I turned 17 and got my license. It wasn't that difficult. Shortly after that, a buddies cousin ran a valet parking service and needed a driver to fill in one Saturday night. He asked if I could drive stick and I told him I could. That night, I have to pull up a Jaguar E-Type (IIRC), gorgeous car. I'm trying for about 5 minutes to get it in reverse and it just wouldn't go into gear. I had no idea that you had to lift the ring/sleeve on the shifter before it would go into gear. All of a sudden, the driver's door flies open and it's the owner of the car. He pulled me out by my jacket, screamed get the F outta my car ( this is Jersey after all), hopped in, slammed it into reverse and pulled out with me standing there like an idiot. Obviously,I got no tip and my buddies cousin never called me again to park cars. Live and learn.

PS- Both my son and daughter's first car was a 1982 Volvo 240, 4 cylinder, 110 HP, 4 Speed. A slow tank that would keep them safe and teach them how to drive stick. They each drove it for over 2 years.

 

[WileERobby]

As far as driving a manual shift, I'll just say this. Back in the heyday of street racing, occasionally I would be asked to drive someone else's stick car. One of the (very) few things in life I was good at.

 

[BarrsRestoration]

My first car (1972) was a '64 Studebaker with a 3 on the column. It was soon followed by a '67 GTO 4 speed.

In the mid 70's my wife learned to drive in her Dad's C10 with a 3 speed. She longed for another just like it, so we got one

couple of months ago.

Ain't skeered of clutch pedals!

 

[mopar 3 B]

I learned to drive a stick in a 1973 Mack U model garbage truck. My Dad used to let me move containers around the yard behind his shop. I guess I was around 12 when he taught me. It was a 5 by 4, twin stick "quad-box". No power steering and the steering wheel was as big around as a 55 gallon drum lid. He told me that if I could master that transmission, there was NOTHING that I couldn't drive. He was right.
RIP Dad.

Nothing quite like the Mack 16 on the tree air shift. I started with farm tractors. Was driving the 50 Studebaker 1/2 ton in the field long time before reaching the clutch and brakes was possible. Dad would put it in granny gear and set the throttle and of we went threw the field.

 

[66 Sat]

Get this, my mum can only drive a manual. She passed her test on her 5th attempt aged about 60. If she hasn't got gears to shift she can't drive. Reckons an auto feels like it's running away from her and she panics. Bless her...

 

[dual fours]

First actual experience was moving a Ford econoline for a carpet cleaning company I was working for a summer job at 15 y o. My real learning experience was on a jeep my buddy stole. ( technically, borrowed, since he returned it )

The only thing the good Officer see's, is that you were driving it at the time he pulled you over. By the way, did we have the same buddy? I don't remember you being in the yellow jeep that night as we ran around town. We bailed out early and later that night buddy gets pulled over and went to jail. I was always one step ahead of the law.

 

[polywideblock]

should also add the my two " special " cars are both 4 speed

 

[BIGSHCLUNK]

3 on the tree 64 ford van, learned hit an miss the first day I owned it. drove everything from 3 to 10..

 

[WileERobby]

The only thing the good Officer see's, is that you were driving it at the time he pulled you over. By the way, did we have the same buddy? I don't remember you being in the yellow jeep that night as we ran around town. We bailed out early and later that night buddy went to jail. I was always one step ahead of the law.

Nope. The jeep was the first of many, until he got caught.

 

[Hikin Mike]

I learned how to drive a manual on my dad's 63 Corvette, 327/4-sp/4.56:1 gears. Second car was a 66 Chevelle 3-speed on the column. My first new car was a 87 Cavalier, 5-sp.

I can't drive one now because both of my knees are fused straight.

 

[Hemi 354]

48 Hudson in the mid-50's. Started when I was about 10 or 11. Gradually went to a 56 Dodge with 3 on the tree at 13. Drove it all around town and to pick up my Mom at work. Later on, I worked delivering Pepsi-cola and the when the driver got out of town somewhat, he would let me drive (with a 2-speed axel) at 15. Also, did the Drag strip on weekends with a friend. By the time I got into high school, the mandatory drivers education was a real hoot ! All that was in Asheville, North Carolina.

 

[Cranky]

Mom used to let me shift her 51 Plymouth while I sat beside her. Wasn't too good much of the time but got better. We got rid of that car late in 56....I was born in 51. In late 64 I got tired of dragging my lawn mower with a bicycle and decided to 'take' the 63 Dart 3 speed. Never drove a stick behind the wheel but figured out the clutch pretty quick and took off and did that a few times until dad figured out I was doing that lol. Got a 98 Creep with a 5 speed and that thing sucks. When I was street racing Mustangs, a guy asked after a run if the car had a C4 or a C6 in it. Ran to the top of 3rd gear and never hit 4th and the guy didn't believe me after telling him it had a T-10 in it. He had to go look lol

 

[Charger Dana]

1981 Dodge Ram 318 3 speed with overdrive, on the floor, manual brakes. First “street” vehicle I ever drove with the intention of actually learning to drive. God bless my father. Learned to drive in a field. Probably a good thing too! That was probably the hardest standard I’ve ever driven, which includes grain trucks.

First car 71 4 door Toyota Corolla, 4 on the floor. Loved standards then, love them always, love them now. I had a series of VW sticks, Maxima sticks, and of course my “real” car, 67 Charger 383 4bbl 4 speed. I’ve raced them all, sometimes even legally .

I am actually a bad automatic driver now. I loathe driving automatics. I hop out without putting into park and then can’t figure out why it won’t start. They’re boring as sh*t. Zero fun. I occasionally try a high speed clutch depression, doesn’t usually work out well.

Rigs, bikes, tractors, cars and trucks- always better standard!

 

[Dennis H]

67 VW Beetle.

 

[JG1966]

I learned at about age 18 when I went to apply for a job at an auto parts store as a parts driver. The guy said "Can you drive a stick shift?" I lied and said "Sure." He said "You're hired. Go deliver these parts." I had ridden dirt bikes my whole life so I knew the concept of giving gas while releasing the clutch. With a lady fellow employee with me in a little nissan truck, I put it in gear, and stumbled a bit getting out of the parking lot. She shot me some strange looks. But I quickly got the hang of it and all was good. I've driven manual cars hundreds of thousands of miles since. I guess when the pressure is on (and you need a summer job), you learn quick.

 

[Kern Dog]

I had a 76 Camaro that I converted from an automatic to a Saginaw 4 speed. THAT was a fun car. The trans came from a Vega and had a first gear like a 3.10 or so and a 3.42 diff. It got out of the hole pretty quick. After I sold that car I drove automatics for quite awhile. All of my daily drivers have been A/Ts because I hate clutching and shifting in shitty stop and go driving during commutes. I converted a 74 "FrankenDuster" to a 4 speed in 2009. I tried a few different transmissions in that car...I had a regular 23 spline 833, an overdrive 833 and another rebuilt 833 in the car. I liked how the car shifted but I never liked the power the car made even with a rebuilt 360. It sort of soured me on stick shifted cars. I converted my 1975 Power Wagon FROM a 4 speed to a 727. I haul landscaping waste and other junk in it and wanted it to be easier to handle. I'm happier with it this way.
Now here I am in a bit of a spot....I want to add some type of overdrive to my 1970 Charger and I am actually thinking of converting it to a 5 speed. I am not totally sold on it yet, just thinking about it. I had a Gear Vendors and did like the lower cruise RPMs and improved mileage. A manual can be a lot more fun to drive. The part about hating a manual trans in commuter traffic wouldn't apply here.